Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, produces enough oxygen for one million humans per day

moon of jupiter EuropeAn astronomical object that has fascinated the scientific community for hosting an underground ocean capable of supporting life is the focus of recent research that has revealed surprising data about its ability to generate oxygen, According to a study published in the journal nature astronomyand using data collected by the mission Juno From NASA, it has been determined that it produces approximately thousand tons of gas every 24 hours.

however the quantity oxygen Insufficient to maintain a habitable environment on Earth, it revolutionizes expectations about the conditions for life outside our planet.

the new York Times Note that the researchers led jamie szalayof Princeton UniversityThey found that the icy surface of this moon almost records oxygen production 13 to 40 kg per second, which is significantly lower than previous estimates which had suggested more than 907 kg per second.

Szalay emphasized that although the results are “at the bottom of our expectations,” it does not completely rule out Europe As a potentially habitable place.

CBS News explained its origin oxygen This is caused by interactions between charged particles from space and this moon’s icy crust, a process that breaks the frozen water into molecules. hydrogen And oxygen, “The ice sheet is like the lungs of Europe,” Szalay said, noting how its surface Europe This protects the underground ocean from harmful radiation, while allowing this chemical to “breathe.”

However, despite the existence of oxygen, Europe It presents extremely hostile conditions for humans, partly because of the intense radiation on the moon’s surface, where, by estimation, “an astronaut in a space suit could not survive more than a day,” says Szalay. . The discovery highlights the complexity of human exploration in extraterrestrial environments.

juno mission, which launched in 2011 and has been orbiting Jupiter since 2016, has been crucial in obtaining these revealing data. Space probe was able to measure the composition of charged particles directly from the atmosphere Europe During a flyby in 2022.

“Juno brings a new capability to directly measure the composition of charged particles emitted from Europa’s atmosphere,” Szalay said. This discovery opens new questions about the dynamics between this moon and its icy surface underground oceanPowerfully livable.

The research team also emphasized that, although it has been possible to estimate the quantity oxygen produced, it remains to be determined how much of this oxygen actually penetrates the ice and reaches the ocean below, “a key puzzle in learning about the Moon as a system,” says planetary scientist Carl Schmidt. According boston university, This puzzle still persists and highlights the need for future space missions specifically aimed at studying the celestial body in more detail.

In light of these discoveries, pot planning to launch the mission Europa Clipper A detailed reconnaissance of Europa will take place in October 2024 to investigate whether the icy moon can support conditions suitable for life.

Meanwhile, scientists like Szalay are eagerly waiting to uncover more mysteries Europe Based on data collected by Juno, speculating that “this is just the tip of the iceberg. For many years, we will continue to excavate this very flyover to find all the treasures.”

(With information from CBS News and The New York Times)